J-money

I've had a very random problem with my 92 rs not starting for about as long as I've had the vehicle (9 years or so). The first time it gave me any issues was in high school a long time ago, I went to start it after school and it wouldnt do any thing when I turned the key, after wiggling some wires under the hood it finally started. I went home cleaned the battery cables and it was fine for a few years and did the same thing 2 or 3 times over a 5 year time span. This was 2006/2007ish.

Then last year around april or may it did the same thing. I drove it to a friends house 5 minutes away, turned the car off for 30 seconds and it wouldnt start back up. a few hours later i went back to his house cleaned cables and couldnt get it to start, so I tried jumping it off and it fired right up.

After this point I finally started changing parts, I started with the starter and then every blue moon when I drove the car i would use my cavaliers new battery in it (575CCA) i think. It still randomly wouldnt start at times but now would occasionanly only click. The times it clicks it will eventually start up. When it wont do anything i have to jump it off from another car. BTW the battery does fine in the cavy for a few years now.

I finally parked the car last year until tax time recently until i could afford dumping any more money in it. I cleaned ALL the wire connections im aware of in the engine bay and put a used but decently strong battery in it last fall and the car has actually started fine all winter in the garage. I didnt get it back out until recently after changing the ignition lock cylinder just to be safe. car has done wonderful for almost 2 months until today when it just "clicked" 3 times i tried to start it and finally fired up the last time.

I plan to get another new battery for it tomorow, but my question is there anything else to look at on these cars besides from the ignition starter switch that I havent checked already? I have one in the garage but will likely pull the dash before i change it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

J-money

Also forgot to add at some point after parking it this winter i think i checked to see if it was getting voltage to the starter and I think all wire seemed to check out good.

Although I havent ruled the wiring out as an issue.

JIsaacs

I'm having the same problem with my 87. I just got the car in Oct. It's a 2.8L-5speed car but someone put a 350-4speed in it. The guy I got it from said the starter was over heating. That's not it. I'm not getting any power to anything(sometimes),or it will click(sometimes),or it will start. Driving me nut. Battery is fine, Alt is fine. It's got to be the ignition switch or wire from it J-Money. I think. I'll check some more but I've narrowed it down. Hey maybe we have a law suit against GM too!! LOL! Let me know if you find out any thing on your end.

J-money

I actually changed my switch(and wire) in the steering column. Its not giving me the problem of loosing power to everything again YET. I thru a new battery in it just to be safe the other day since the old one had some age on it. I've started a few times and drove it one day and its not given any issues again, but i swear it seems like I just randomly loose power under the hood somewhere.

You definetly sound like yours is exactly like mine. BTW I've also noticed that the times the car will not do anything I can ALWAYS jump it off by another vehicle, even from a old 200 CCAish honda batttery.

JIsaacs

I thought that changing the ignition switch would do the trick. My car was so Mickey Moused that I just started replacing wires. The dam ground wire even had a splice in it. The Alt wire was stereo cable. I was like Really man. Are you F'en kidding me! Tore in to the steering column last week. Well from the steering wheel side and stopped. I figured I'd give the forum a try. Before I got any farther. Thank's for the post.

J-money

eventually I'll start on changing out wires if the problem persist. I also have an ignition starter switch that mounts on the steering column. I'll change it soon, maybe when i feel like pulling part of the dash out.